Machine for folding and pasting paper



2 Sheets-Sheet G. K. SNOW. FOLDING AND PASTING PAPER.

No. 27,392. Patented Mar. 6, 1860.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. K. SNOW. FOLDING AND PASTING PAPER.

Patented Mar. 6, 1860'.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE K. SNOW, OF WATERTOXVN, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR FOLDING AND PASTING PAPER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,392, dated March 6, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE K. SNOW, of Vatertown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful or Improved Machine for Folding and Pasting Paper, and I do. hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1, denotes a top View. Fig. 2, a front elevation. Figs. 3, and 4, side elevations. Fig. 5, a rear elevation. Fig. 6, a longitudinal and vertical section. Fig. 7, a longitudinal and transverse section, and Fig. 8', a horizontal section of such machine. Fig. 9, is a vertical section taken through the sheet abutment and the packing trough to be hereinafter described.

So far as the folding of paper is concerned, the object I have had in view in the invention of my said machine, has been not only to fold a sheet of paper once but to make in it, one or more further parallel folds or turns in an opposite direction; that is to say, if we suppose a sheet of paper to be folded with one fold or bend, a, as shown in end view in Fig. 10, 5, Z), being the parts of the sheet folded upon one another, my object has been to produce another fold in either or both of the parts, Z), Z), and so that the paper shall be turned in an opposite direction, as represented in Fig. 11, wherein c, 0-, denote the bends or lines of folds; and furthermore the object I have had in View has been also not only to so fold a sheet, but to further fold it in the same manner, at right or other angles with the folds so made. The first folding of the sheet, as shown in Fig. 11, causes it to present eight pages, or four on a side; while when it is again folded, in the manner described, it will present either sixteen, twenty-four or thirtytwo pages, according as it is folded either once, twice or three times. This double folding of the sheet is new, and when carried out as described and represented, so as to cause the sheet to present twenty-four or thirtytwo pages, it affords important advantages in binding the sheets.

I have also combined with a folding apparatus or mechanism, an apparatus or mechanism for applying paste or cement on such paper or parts of the sheet of paper may be required, in order to cause the sheet or parts of the sheet to adhere atany two or more of its folds or lines of fold the same being for the purpose of either saving the usual process of either sewing, or stitching together the folded parts of the sheet, or of connecting the folds, prior to their being either sewed or stitched. And I have combined with such folding and pasting mechanism, ameans of heating the pasted sheets for the purpose of drying the paste applied to them, and of causing the parts of each sheet to adhere together at or near some of the lines of fold.

Figs. 12, and 13, exhibit the appearance of opposite sides of a thirty-two paged sheet with the lines of its folds. The colored rectangular spaces are the imprinted pages, while the lines of fold. are exhibited in red, and the lines of paste in blue. The number of each page is indicated therein by figures.

My machine, by removal of some one or more of the side plates of the folding mechanism thereof, can be employed to fold a sheet with the double parallel foldings, so as to present either eight, sixteen or twentyfour pages; and in fact it may be arranged so as to efiect other numbers of pages.

In the drawings, A, denotes the frame of the machine, it being provided with a table or platform, B, upon which, a sheet to be folded is to be placed. This platform is constructed with a long slit or opening, 03, extending through it transversely. Projecting downward from opposite sides of said slit, are two sets of plates, C, D, C, D. Each of the said plates is supported by a cross bar, 6, and so that another or long thin plate, E, carried by a frame, F, may pass vertically upward and downward between each pair of plates, C, D, or C, D. Furthermore there is another pair of plates, G, H, which, when at their highest elevation, extend above the platform, B, and are arranged with respect to it, and the other plates, as shown in the drawings. The two plates, G, H, are arranged a short distance from one another, and on opposite sides of a bar, or arm, I, to which they are fastended; said bar being made to project horizontally from a. frame, K, that plays vertically bet-ween two long posts or guides, L, L, arranged within and supported by the frame, A, and made to projectabove the table, B, as shown in the drawings. The frame F, carries the plate, E, and also projects from a sliding frame, M, that plays vertically between the two posts or guides, L, L, the same being arranged as shown in the drawings. Again there is placed beneath the platform, B, and so as to stand at right angles to the two sets of plates, C, D, G, D, two other plates, N, 0, they being placed at a short distance asunder, and fastened at or near their outer edges to a slider or vertical plate, P, extending at top and bottom into horizontal and parallel guide grooves, f, f. In connection with the two plates, N, O, and arranged on the opposite sides of the stationary plates, C, C, D, D,.

there is another vertical plate, R, arranged so as to slide backward and forward horizontally, and pass into the space between the two plates, N, 0, these latter plates also being capable of sliding between the two sets, 0, C, D, D, of stationary plates.

In rear of the set of plates, C, D, and at a short distance therefrom, there is a box or spout, S, it being arranged as shown in the drawings. One of the upright sides of the spout may be so applied to the bottom of such spout, as to be adjustable with reference to or be capable of being moved either toward or away from, the other side of the spout, in order to adapt the spout to the width of the folded sheet that may be received into it. Against the outer side of the said box or spout, a box T, is arranged. This box is intended to receive either steam or hot air, to be conveyed into it by a suitable conduit, leading either from a steam generator or air heating apparatus; the object being to apply heat to one side of the spout for the purpose of heating it, and thereby heating such part of the pack of paper that may be within the spout, and against its heated side. The said heating apparatus I employ when folded sheets have been pasted, prior to, or while being folded.

In connection with the folding apparatus, and the spout, S, I use in the machine a vertical abutment or plate, U, arranged as shown in the drawings, and fastened to a sliding carriage or plate, V, sustained between parallel guides, g, 9. Furthermore, between the said abutment and the receiving spout S, I employ a mechanism or frame for receiving each sheet of paper from the abutment, and conveying or pressing it back upon the pack. This mechanism consists of a frame IV, so applied to the inner end of the sheet spout, S, as to be capable of being moved both toward, and away from the abutment U, so as to cause the abutment to enter the said frame. Fig. 14, shows a front view of the said frame, W, and exhibits the opening or mouth, is, for the reception of the abutment. This opening is constructed rectangular, and a little less in depth than that of the folded sheet of paper; the same being in order that while the sheet is being forced through the said opening, both the upper and under edges of the sheet may be bent a little, or the sheet be crowded through the opening, so that after having passed through it, the said edges of the paper, by springing backward by their elastic power, and back of the bars, h, z, of the frame, may cause the frame to so hold the paper, as to insure its being carried toward the pack, during and by the next retreat of the frame away from the abutment.

Fig. 15, is a top view, and Fig. 16, an inner side view of the frame WV, as applied to the sheet receiver or spout, S. From the said frame WV, an arm or bar, 11, extends, as shown in the said last two figures, and carries a projection or stud, that enters an inclined groove, X, carried by and formed in the frame, F, the same being as shown in Fig. 9. As this groove is moved with and by the said frame, F, it will impart to the frame, W', its proper movements.

To the carriage, V, and the frame, A, a hand lever, Z, is applied, so as to enable a person by taking hold of and moving the lever, to move the said carriage longitudinally, and cause the abutment, U, to be drawn backward. The object of so moving the abutment, U, is to enable an imperfectly folded sheet of paper, or-an imperfect sheet, as the case may be, to be discharged from the machine, without being introduced into the trough, S. This will be caused by the action of the sliding frame, W, which without the coiiperation of the abutment, will not receive a sheet in manner as heretofore described, but while in movement will press the sheet over an opening, t, through which it will drop and fall out of the machine. Therefore to cause the expulsion of a sheet, the attendant has only to move the hand lever so as to retract the abutment.

Having thus described the principal parts of my invention by which the foldin of a sheet of paper and its introduction into a packing trough are effected, I shall proceed to explain the mechanism for imparting motion to such parts.

In the drawings, m, denotes a driving or cam shaft, upon which are placed 3 grooved cams, n, 0, p. The two cams, p, 0, respectively receive in their grooves, projections from two levers, q, 1', which play at their rear ends, on a common fulcrum or pin, 8, arranged at the rear part of the frame, A. The front end of one of the levers (1), is jointed to the sliding frame, F, and by means of a slot, t, formed in the lever, and made to receive an adjustable pin, 14, applied to the frame so as to be capable of being raised or lowered therein, and fixed in any desirable position, such pin being shown in Fig. 20. The inner end of the other lever is jointed to the lower end of an arm, 4), extended downward from the sliding frame 'K. Figs. 17 18 and 19, exhibit side views of the cams, n, 0, p. The cam, 91,, receives within its groove, a projection or pin, w, extending from an arm, at, that extends upward from a rocker, shaft, y, arranged as shown in the drawings. From the said rocker shaft, a long arm, 2, projects upward, and is formed with a slot, at, in its upper part as shown in Fig. 3, such slot being made to receive a stud, 6, extending from the plate B. This stud should be applied to the plate by means of devices which will enable the stud to be adjusted horizontally, in a direction either toward or away from the front vertical edge of the plate. In Fig. 8, these devices are exhibited. They consist of a screw and nut applied to the plate or a slot therein, as shown at 0, in such figure.

From the above it will be perceived that while the cam, 12, is in rotation, it will causemotion to be imparted to the said plate, It. The connection plate, P, of the two plates, N, O, has a stud, cl, projecting into a slot, a, formed in the upper part of a lever, 41, arranged as shown in the drawings. The fulcrum, 'w, of the said lever, is at the lower part of the lever, and just above the said fulcrum, a retractive spring, 03, is affixed to the lever and the frame, A, and serves to pull the former backward. Furthermore a latch, y, is jointed to the side of the arm, 2, and and takes upon a pin, 2, extending from the lever, 11. Under the said pin, a, a bent tripping arm a projects from the lever, 41, in order to throw the catch of the latch off the pin, a, at the proper time.

On the top surface of the platform, B, a set of adjustable stops, b 0 W, are arranged as shown in Fig. 1, each of the said stops consisting of a strip or plate of metal bent upward at or near its inner end. That portion of the plate which rests upon the platform, is pressed underneath a holding strip of metal, 6 which is fastened at its two ends to the platform. Furthermore, the platform is provided with adjustable points, 7' 7, to extend above its surface and receive the paper like. the points of a common printing press. Along in rear of the said points, is a lifter bar, 9 which turns on fulcra, 72. if, arranged as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and is made to extend from an adjustable slider, 7?, applied to the platform so as to be movable either toward or away from the points. A slider, k arranged underneath the platform, carries a projection or cam, Z applied to it, so as to be adjustable longitudinally of the machine. A cam, m carried by the sliding frame, M, is brought into contact with the inner end of the slider, 10 during the elevation of the said frame, M, and moves the slider backward, so as to cause the lifter bar, g to be pressed upward against the sheet of paper in a manner to throw it off the points, and keep it off the same until it is drawn entirely away from them, which, having taken place, a spring, 41?, forces the slider, k forward, so as to drop the lifter bar down to a horizontal position. Between the upper pair of plates G, H, and just beneath the bar or arm, I, to which they are attached, there is a bar, 0 that extends horizontally between the plates, and is made adjustable vertically, by means of a screw, 9 A similar bar, 9 is applied between the two plates, N, O, and stands vertically and has an adjusting screw, 1, by which it may be moved toward and away from the connection plate, P. The object of each of the adjustable bars, 0 9 is to serve as a stop, and to gage the distance for the plate, E, or the plate, R, to work between its fellow plates G, H, or N, O.

The apparatus for applying the paste to a line or part of the sheet, at or near which the sheet is to be folded, may be thus described. A long roller, s revolves in a stationary trough, t and has a pinion gear, 20 fixed upon its shaft, 41 This pinion engages with a rack, Q0 carried by the sliding frame, K, the vertical movements of such frame serving to produce the rotation of the fountain roller. Against the said fountain roller 8 a small pasting wheel, g bears, such wheel being carried by an arm, a extending upward from a rocker shaft, 6 which is arranged as shown in the drawings. From the said rocker shaft, an arm, 0 extends inward, such arm, during the elevation of the sliding frame, M, being struck by a projection or cam, f and elevated in such manner as to cause the pasting wheel to be moved downward upon the sheet of paper,

and maintained there while such paper is being drawn in to the space between the plates, G, and H. Afterward a spring, 9 serves to turn the shaft, 6 and elevate the pasting wheel up to the fountain roller, 8

In order to keep from contact with the plates, G, H, the paste that may be laid on a sheet of paper by the pasting wheel, I apply to each of such plates, a slotted plate or bearer, 71, and so that the parts on each side of the slot, 2' thereof, may project from the plate, a suflicient distance to keep the line of paste on the paper, from adhering to the plate, G, or H. The slotted bearer may be applied to its plate or plates, so as to be ad justable thereon. An equivalent for such bearer would be a vertical slot in each plate, G, or H; but as this could not be made adjustable so conveniently as the separate slotted bearer, I prefer the latter. The slot in the folding plate would however have the advantage of enabling the line or belt of paste to come more or less in contact with a portion of that part of the sheet which would be between the plates, G, H.

Fig. 20 is a vertical section taken through the arm, a, the same being made to show the two carriages or sliding frames M, and K, and their accessories. Figs. 21 and 22,

are separate elevations of such frames.

There is a movable plate, p within the packing box or spout, S; such plate being arranged vertically therein, and applied to springs, 9 g ,'which extend from it, and bear against the sides of the spout, S. The pack of folded paper rests against the said plate 39 and crowds it back, as fast as the said pack may increase in size; the object of the plate being to give support to the pack. 7

The above constitutes the description of the various parts of my said machine, whose mode of operation may be thus explained. Preparatory to applying a sheet of paper upon the platform, 13, the machine is to be put in movement so as to elevate the folding plates, G, H, to their highest position above the platform. This having been done, a sheet of paper is to be passed underneath the lower edges of the said folding plates, and be properly adjusted on the platform by means of the points. WVe will suppose the middle of the sheet to be directly underneath the space between these two plates. Under this state of things, the plates, Gr, H, are next made to descend a short distance until their lower edges may touch or nearly touch the sheet. In the mean time, the plate, E, will be raised upward to the sheet, and afterward, will be elevated further, so as to press the sheet up between the two plates, G, H, and double it over. Half of the sheet will then be between the plates, while the remainder of the sheet will rest on the platform. Next the plates, Gr, H, and E, descend together, so as to draw the sheet down entirely through and below the opening, cl.

h This process will cause the sheet: to be:

i I doubled back with twofurther foldsor lines ref fold, which will beparalleltothe .first fold, or line of fold. Next the plate, IE, not

only descends. further and 1 entirely; out of I the sheet, but the plates, G, will be, elei-' vated again to their highest'positiomall of;

which will cause thesheet to remain; between,

the two pairs of plates, (l,- D,C D, :pro- 1 npvided their inner surfaces: hold to the sheet I I with sufficient friction, forwhich purpose,'

they should be covered wholly or partially 'with cloth; or some elastic material :or. be otherwise properly prepared to retain the sheet between them, during the movements ofthe plates, G, .H, and .15, away from it. Next the, plate, R, will be driven forward 1 1 y t against themiddle ofthe sheet, so as to force .55 thesheet betweenthe two plates, N1, O,and

draw it partly from betweenthe plates, 0,

- C, D.: :Next'the three ;plates,-R, N, O,

will be moved together in the opposite direction, so as to draw the sheet entirely out of the spaces between the plates, C, D, C, D. This, in connection with the inner edges of the plates C, D, C, D, will form the two outside folds of the sheet, the last three folds so made, having been formed at right angles with the three first formed. Next the plates,

N, O, and R, receded, or are carried back to their normal positions, and leave the folded sheet of paper resting directly against the abutment U. Next the frame, l/V, is advanced toward the paper and the abutment, and passes by the abutment, so as to cause the paper to be sprung into the mouth or opening of the said frame W, as hereinbefore described. Next the frame, W, recedes, and forces the paper against the yielding plate, 19 or the pack of paper that may be against such plate. I would remark that during the backward movement of the plate, R, the latch 3/, will draw on the pin, 2, so as to move the lever, '22, and, as a matter of course, move the plates, N, O. This will. continue, until the arm, a may raise the latch off the pin, which taking place the spring, m, will draw back the said plates, N, O.

WVhile the plates, G, H, are in the act of descending upon the middle of the sheet of paper, placed on the platform, B, the pasting wheel will be caused to leave the paste trough roller, and pass downward and rest at its circumference upon the sheet, so that while the sheet is being forced up between the plates, G, H, it will be so drawn under the roller as to have a line or strip of paste applied to it by such roller. Subsequently the pasting wheel will return to the fountain roller, for a fresh supply of paste.

A pasting apparatus of the above description, or its equivalent, should be applied to the platform, B, so as to operate above, over,

he required to apply the pasteto the under-- form, there should be a slot formedthrough blue'lines. This will cause the outside edge of one fold to adhereto the inside edge of that next to it. The elinesor. stripsof paste i I I I however, may be'so applied near the said edges, as to cause the foldsto adhere aside I of such edges. 1 Thus the sheet'will not only be folded, but will be pasted so to adhere 1 together in or at some of its folds, or wherever it may be desired to have it conineoted-.-lVith mysaid machine printed sheets may be folded and their folds so con i nected, as to need no stitching to keep the leaves together, after the folded sheet may have been trimmed.

My machine is calculated to produce the double folding in parallel lines of fold, so as to fold a sheet but twice in a manner to cause it to have six pages, which may afterward, by means of the plates, N, O, R, be folded at right angles, either with two or or through it, whenever it maybe desirable. I I

to apply the paste to'the sheet. Should it sideofuthesheet, -'\vl1ile:resting onthe plat- 4 theplatform, toenable the paste wheel to C work through it, and against the sheet. In I general for folding a sheet into thirty-two pages asshownin Figs. 12 and 13, the paste "will be: applied thereto, as indicated by the 1 three parallel folds.

again at a right angle with the line of the first fold, but

I claim as my invention 1. A machine or combination, consisting not only of mechanism for producing a single folding of a sheet of paper, but mechanism which shall operate to produce either one or two further and parallel folds or turns of such paper in an opposite direction, sub stantially as specified; such mechanism, as shown in the drawings, being the plates G, H, C, D, and E, arranged and made to operate together, essentially in manner and by means as hereinbefore set forth.

2. And I also claim a combination consisting not only of mechanism for folding a sheet of paper once, and mechanism for producing one or more further parallel folds or turns of the sheet in an opposite direction, but mechanism which shall operate to produce either one, two, or three folds of the sheet, at a right or other angle with the line or lines of previous foldings of it, such combination of mechanism as exhibited in the drawings, being the plates, G, H, C, D, C, D, E, N, O, and R, operated in manner and by means substantially as heretofore de scribed.

3. I also claim a combination or machine, consisting not only of mechanism for folding a sheet of paper one or more times, but mechanism for applying paste or cement on such part or parts of the sheet as may be required in order to cause the sheet to stick together at any two or more of its folds or lines of fold; the mechanism shown in the drawings for applying paste, being the paste roller, 5 paste fountain, t and the wheel, g arranged and operated relatively to the platform, B, and the folding plates, substantially as explained.

4. And in combination with the receiving trough or spout S, and the sheet abutment, U, I claim the mechanism or frame, W, for receiving the sheet from the abutment, and conveying it toward, and pressing it upon either the pack or pack holder that may be within the trough, S.

5. And in connection with the receiving and conveying apparatus or frame, W, applied to the trou h, S, and its abutment, U, as described, I cIaim the application to the abutment of a carriage, V, and a hand lever,

Z, or any equivalent mechanism by which such abutment may be moved in a direction away from the sheet receiver, so as to enable the latter to expel from the machine, an imperfect sheet, or an imperfetly folded sheet, essentially as specified.

6. I also claim the arrangement and combination, in the manner described, of the adjustable stop bar, 0 with the two folding plates, G, H, and the plate, E, to run between them.

7 I also claim in combination with a paper folding machine, constructed so as to fold paper, or fold and apply paste to it, substantially as described, a heating apparatus, so applied as to heat a pack of folded paper while in the machine, the same being to facilitate the desiccation of the pack, or paste applied thereto, for the purpose set forth.

8. I also claim in a paper folding machine, the combination of the lifter bar, 9 with the register points, f applied to the platform upon which the sheet to be folded is to be placed.

9. I also claim the combination of the slotted plate or bearer, M, or its equivalent, with a folding plate and a pasting apparatus of the paper folding machine, the same being to prevent the pasted part of a sheet of paper from adhering to the outer surface of the folding plate.

GEO. K. SNOW. Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. D. HALES, J r. 

